A. Related Applications
There are no applications for patent relating hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
B. Field of Invention
My invention is related generally to automobile pre-heaters and more particularly to a compact pre-heater powered externally of the serviced automobile to warm the interior and other selected portions.
C. Background and Prior Art
Automotive pre-heaters are known and used in various parts of the United States, particularly across the Northern tier, where winter conditions induce many automobile owners to utilize such devices of various sorts to ease physical discomfort and mechanical malfunctions associated with winter conditions.
Prior art devices have included various mechanisms for warming of selected portions of an automobile. Typically engine heaters are designed to utilize conventional household current to prevent freezing of an engine water jacket and simultaneously maintain engine oil at suitable temperatures for easier automotive start-up and improved lubrication during start-up. Further, prior art devices have provided various heating apparatus for warming an automobile interior to minimize operator discomfort during cold and wintry conditions. Use of timer devices has been incorporated into this apparatus to activate heaters and limit energy consumption of such devices to time frames immediately prior to automotive usage.
While the prior art devices have made progress in alleviating operator discomfort associated with winter automotive usage, they have heretofore generally failed to provide a cooperatively interrelated assembly enabling an automotive operator to enjoy both immediate comfortable access and effective usage of an automobile during wintry weather conditions. As the internal combustion engine typically utilized by contemporary automobiles is subject to easier starting, more efficient operation, and prolonged engine life when various portions are pre-heated, a need has persisted to provide this function.
While some preheating devices have attempted to warm interiors of automobiles and simultaneously provide associated warming of other automotive components, shortcomings have prevailed. Frequently, due to weather conditions, frost build-up develops upon windshield surfaces and a user is involuntarily subjected to adverse weather conditions in mechanically or chemically removing such frost. Furthermore, electric out-put of an automobile battery is directly related to its temperature and is accordingly reduced during periods of cold temperatures. Fuel in a carburetor becomes less volatile as ambient temperature is reduced and if water becomes introduced into the fuel system by way of contamination, it tends to crystalize during freezing temperatures and prevent usage of the automobile because fuel passage may be restricted in a carburetor. These temperature related problems may eventually be overcome by persistence of an automobile user, but only after significant physical effort and increased abuse of automobile components. My invention seeks to alleviate these problems.
To this end, I have developed a compact, effective, and simplified automotive pre-heating device that overcomes deficiencies associated with prior art devices of this type. A novel heater box contains a heating element and associated fan that develop sufficient heated air to distribute that heat not only to an automobile's interior but also through appropriately associated conduits to a carburetor for proper fuel pre-heating, to an automobile battery to raise its temperature to increase potential power output, and to an automobile windshield to defrost it. An electrical outlet connects an engine head bolt heater of conventional manufacture to maintain engine temperature at desired levels. Operative electric power is provided through a timing switch from an external source, such as a residential dwelling.
Conventional bracketry is utilized to secure my automotive pre-heater to a convenient location selected within the automobile. Typically such location would include the underside of an automotive dashboard, the fire wall between auto interior and motor, or the space underneath a forward seat, if such space allows this placement.
Prior art devices have provided one or more of these functions individually, but have not provided all of them in any single combination. Most pre-heaters have been powered by a vehicle's electric system which only exacerbates its already weakened condition. Other pre-heating devices that have been powered externally of a vehicle have generally heated mechanical systems of a vehicle motor and have not been concerned with heating of the passenger compartment or windshield, as no heating system operating independently of the vehicular system which is powered from motor-produced thermal energy has been provided. Again, commonly, either aforedescribed type of heating system has operated continuously without benefit of switching or, if switched, has not provided a time oriented switching means to allow functioning only for a predetermined period immediately prior to vehicle use. Prior devices that have provided interior space heating have generally been large, cumbersome, and of a portable nature whereas my device is compact and may be readily attached in unobtrusive position in existing vehicular structures. My space heater also allows heated air to warm both battery and carburetor, whereas prior heaters associated with the motor mechanism were generally of the electrical resistive type that heated only the motor block, commonly through the fluids carried therein.
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of its structures, and the function necessarily flowing therefrom, as herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this entire combination.